


curse the fading of the light

by Cân Cennau (cancennau)



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Alternate Universe - Beauty and the Beast Fusion, Alternate Universe - Human, Cantair Set, Dragon!Garak - Freeform, Falling In Love, Kidnapping, Love Confessions, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-10-17 09:29:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10591194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cancennau/pseuds/C%C3%A2n%20Cennau
Summary: Julian Bashir is missing. Kelas Parmak, an old country doctor, goes to his aid, and stumbles upon a hidden castle...Beauty And The Beast AU





	

Julian is late.

The two medics live in different villages, but every week Julian rides the pony-trap over to share a drink at the tavern. Julian’s lateness isn’t unusual, but Julian is  _ very  _ late, and everyone but him is here. Miles, Julian’s hunting friend, is curled around a pint with his wife. Ziyal the- well, Kelas doesn’t exactly know what Ziyal does - is sat by the fire, silent. Dukat leans on the tavern bar, recounting his latest conquest. 

Julian never does arrive. Dukat jokes that he’s probably gotten distracted by a forest witch again. Kelas taps their glass, somewhat nervous.

* * *

 

Julian’s horse comes racing into the village as Kelas is on their way home. Kelas barely remembers to grab a cloak before they jump on the beast’s back and rides, rides,  _ rides  _ through the night, through sleet and snow, wondering how, oh  _ how  _ could Julian go so wrong-

He finds the abandoned pony-trap relatively quickly, lying sideways, sinking into the wet mud. Kelas manages to rescue a few of Julian’s notebooks, but otherwise leaves the cart to its fate, and moves on. 

It’s not long before they find the towering, spiraling castle, and Julian’s bootprints leading to the front door.

* * *

 

The castle is big, imposing, but Kelas knows enough about buildings this size to know whereabouts you’d hide a prisoner. Kelas climbs to the top of the tallest tower, cursing their arthritic knees as they go, and finds their erstwhile friend.

“Kelas.” Julian whispers harshly through the prison gate. “Go! Escape, before-”

A shadow passes over their head, into the shadows of the rafters. A pair of cold, blue eyes stare unnervingly at them, and Kelas knows they can’t leave Julian here with this being.

“Take me.” Kelas implores at the shadowy Beast. “He’s only a boy.  _ Take me instead.” _

* * *

 

The castle is… not homely exactly, but far less intimidating once you’ve lived in it for a few days. The staff are remarkably enthusiastic to serve and make them feel welcome - honestly, there’s not much that a staff of living half-foot-tall furniture can do without Kelas’ help, but by the  _ stars  _ are they enthusiastic and Kelas is eternally grateful. They got them a room - albeit with a highly exuberant closet, but it’s a damn sight better than the gloomy prison cell.

Kelas hasn’t seen the master of the house since freeing Julian. To be honest, that suits them just fine.

* * *

 

The first time Kelas hears the Beast is from their bedroom window, as the Beast flies across the walls, all fire and teeth and scaled dragon hide, roaring at a pack of approaching wolves.

The second time is when the Beast demands they come for dinner - he shouts and beats at the door when Kelas refuses.

The third time is when Kelas is found in the west wing, examining a wilted rose petal, and his roars echo down the corridor as Kelas limp-runs out of the castle.

The fourth time is when the wolves return, with Kelas as their prey.

* * *

 

His name is Garak, Kelas finds out later, as they sponge the blood off the angry red welts that criss-cross his wing-joints and side. Garak is just a bad a patient as he is host, and he snarks and bickers with Kelas as they sorts him out.

But he does thank them, a smile on a mouth unused to smiling. Kelas imagines they’d return to their normal pattern of avoiding each other, but Garak joins them for lunch, and dinner, and then practically gifts them his entire library.

Kelas still wants to go home. But this… this is becoming bearable.

* * *

 

The months pass, and Kelas is still a prisoner. But it’s not the same kind of prisoner, it’s a complicated mishmash of growing feelings, changing for the better and trying to communicate, and Kelas is very,  _ very  _ confused.

Garak’s not supposed to be funny. He’s not supposed to make literature jokes or criticize fashion or read with them until the late hours. Garak’s supposed to be big, terrifying and one step away from eating Kelas for dinner.

But he’s not. He’s gentle, not sweet but caring, and Kelas feels like the castle is much less empty than it was before.

* * *

 

_ I love him. _

They were not supposed to fall in love.

And yet, here Kelas was, in a beautiful golden gown, flying on the back of Garak, through the night sky, bickering, laughing, heart pounding from both fear and exhilaration and  _ I love him I love him I love him  _ and  _ he’s my captor _ -

“I never thought I’d fall in love.” Garak tells them, and Kelas’ heart bursts.

“I could love you.” they reply. “But I can’t be your prisoner for that.”

A pause, then- “I should not have kidnapped you, nor your friend. I’m… sorry. You can go home.”

* * *

 

On their parting, Garak gifts them one final thing - a silver mirror, that shows Julian restrained, and Dukat lording over his bound body. Kelas races out of the castle, driven by fear, and gallops into town just as Julian is thrown into a padded carriage.

If only Kelas’ mind was not addled by feelings and panic… Showing Garak to Dukat only enraged the man, and Kelas soon found themselves untying Julian and escaping the carriage. The fight is on, and Kelas rides, hoping that the mob and Dukat haven’t managed to kill Garak, or the castle inhabitants-

They’re too late.

* * *

 

The blood runs between Kelas’ fingers as they try to stop the blood from leaking out of the bullet holes that litter Garak’s back, but even Garak knows it’s a hopeless cause - he gently curls one oversized claw around them, and fades away.

_ I love you. Come back. _

Kelas doesn’t see Ziyal step into the room, but they feel the magic, the warm brush of air, and suddenly it’s not a dragon Kelas is crying over but a grown man, and Garak’s blue eyes blink at them fondly, softly, nervously.

“Hello.” he says, and Kelas can’t help but kiss him.


End file.
